Not currently on display at the V&A

Four Seasons: Winter

Plate
1958-59 (made), 1958 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Porcelain plate, shape designed by Rosenthal, 'Four Seasons: Winter' pattern designed by Lucienne Day. Covered with a white glaze, then grey-blue green enamel decoration is overlaid with a stylised linear pattern. The back of the plate is glazed white.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleFour Seasons: Winter (series title)
Materials and techniques
Porcelain, glaze, enamel
Brief description
Porcelain plate, 'Four Seasons: Winter' pattern, designed by Lucienne Day, made by Rosenthal, porcelain printed in grey-blue enamel, designed 1958.
Physical description
Porcelain plate, shape designed by Rosenthal, 'Four Seasons: Winter' pattern designed by Lucienne Day. Covered with a white glaze, then grey-blue green enamel decoration is overlaid with a stylised linear pattern. The back of the plate is glazed white.
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'Rosenthal / GERMANY' (Maker's mark, printed)
Credit line
Given by The Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation
Object history
Lucienne Day began designing for Rosenthal after meeting with the director Philip Rosenthal and Seibert Göppinger, director of Göppinger Kaliko-und Kunstlerderwerke GmbH, which made printed plastic fabrics, in 1957. Simplicity of design was essential, some in outline, others overlaid with panes of pattern, or mottled effects. Lucienne Day's relationship with Göppinger was short lived, but she continued to work with Rosenthal for twelve years.
Luicienne Day's earlier patterns for Rosenthal were all overtly experimental. However, from a technical point of view, some of her designs proved difficult to execute, therefore her later production designs became simpler in concept, with central motifs abandoned in favour of patterned bands or borders.

The Four Seasons design was Day's most ambitious and complex design, showcased at her solo exhibition at Heal's in 1958, but not manufactured until 1959. Four Season's consisted of four colour-coded patterns of stylised linear designs. They were originally conceived in white on a coloured background, but due to concerns about the acid-resistance of the enamels, the designs were printed in reverse.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Lesley Jackson, Mitchell Beazley, 2001. 'Robin and Lucienne Day Pioneers of Contemporary Design', Great Britain, p. 92-96
Collection
Accession number
C.136-2012

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJanuary 31, 2013
Record URL
Download as: JSON